Horse-detacher



No. las. Patented 1an. si, |899.

' w. P. HARPER.

HORSE DETACHEP.

(Application led June 6, 1898.)

No Model.)

A UUR/VB6 me cams Pneus co.. Pauw-uma.. WASHINGTON. n, c.

UNITED STATES PATENT ABrion.

VESLEY P. HARPER, OF LATROBE, PENNSYLVANIA.

HORSE-DETACHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 618,665, dated January31, 1899.

Application filed (fune 61898. Serial No. 682,665. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, Vit 711/6113/ concern:

Be it known that I, WESLEY P. HARPER, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Latrobe, in the county of VVestmoreland and Stateof Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inHorse-Detachers, of which the following is a specification, referencebeing had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention vrelates to certain new and useful improvements inhorse-detaching devices.

The object of my invention is to provide a device of this characterwhereby the horse can be automatically released from the shafts andsingletree.

My invention consists in pivotally securing to the ends of thesingletree a spring-actuated device, hereinafter more fully described,for securing the trace and removing the same therefrom and a removablesecuring means secured to the shafts for the back-strap.

My invention further consists in the novel combination and arrangementof parts here-V inafter more fully described, illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out lin the claimshereunto appended.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of a part of my improveddetaching and securing means for the trace attached to one end of thesingletree. Fig. 2 is a side view of the detaching device for the trace,showing in dotted lines the position thereof when the trace is releasedfrom the singletree. Fig. 3 is a side view of the detaching and securingdevice for the back-strap, showing in dotted lines the back-strap whenreleased, with rod attached thereto. spective View of the detaching andsecuring means for the back-strap with the part detached. Fig. 5 is aperspective view of the detaching and securing means for the trace.,

Like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout theseveral views of the drawings, in which- 1 indicates the shaft, havingthe singletree 2 attached thereto in the usual manner; 3, the trace, and4 the back-strap. The singletree 2 has the tapering extensions 5 securedto each end thereof to receive the ends of the trace. Pivotally secured,as at 6, to the extension 5 is the trace keeper or securer,

Fig. 4 is a perfit over the extension 5, owing to the interior of theend of the same, or rather the converging portion of the bar, being cutaway, as at 10, thereby forming an opening in the bar.

Pivoted in the free end of the bar 8 is a horizontal bar 11, a part ofwhich is bent downwardly, as at 12, and fits over the extension 5, owingto an opening being cut in the end of the bar, as at 13, and is adaptedto detachthe trace from the extension 5. Secured to the ends of the barsvwhere they are pivoted together, as at 14, is aspring 15. The oppositeend of the spring 15 is secured to the upper edge of the singletree, asat 16. This spring 15 is adapted to hold the bars in po-V sition untilreleased by the pulling of the strap 17, the end of which is secured tothe ring 18, formed integral with the lower end of the bar 7. Theopposite end of the strap 17 is connected to a ring 19 near the centerof the singletree and on its under side, and the ring 19 has alsoconnected thereto the straps 2O and 20.

Secured to the under side of the shaft l is an oblong plate 21, havingan elongated groove 21 formed therein to receive a bar 22, the free endof which is enlarged, as at 23, and has an opening 24: formed therein tohave secured thereto the back-strap 4.

l/Vhen it is desired to release the horse, the strap 20' is pulledtoward the person holding the same, thereby causing the straps 17 and 20to move and from their movement pull the bars 7 and 8 downwardly,forcing the bar 11 outwardly, and the ends of the ysame force the tracefrom the extension 5. The

entirely free.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

IOO

l. In a horse-detacher, a singletree, a retaining means for the trace,said retaining means consisting of a horizontal bar extending underneaththe end of the singletree, arms 9, formed integral therewith andextending at right angles to the bar, said arms being pivoted centrallyof their length to the sin gletree and connected at their upper ends, areleasing means for the trace, said releasing means Consisting of ahorizontal bar 1l, pivotally connected at its rear end to the upper endof the arms 9, and having formed integral with its forward end an openframe to receive the end of the singletree, and a spring secured to thesaidsingletree and to the upper ends of the arms 9, for holding theparts in their normal position and for returning same to such positionafter having been operated, substantially as shown and described.

2. In a horse-detaeher, the combination with a singletree of a retainingmeans for the trace consisting of a bar 8 having an extension 7 and arms9 formed integral therewith, said arms 9, being pivotally connected tothe singletree, a retaining means consist- In testimony'whereof I affixmy signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

WESLEY P. HARPER. Wtnessesf JOHN NOLAND, E. W. ARTHUR.

